Bill Gates, the billionaire investor and co-founder of Microsoft, is continuing his pursuit of sustainable innovation with a new venture that could change the trajectory of clean energy. For over 15 years, Gates has been working on a next-generation nuclear power plant called Natrium, which could potentially open by 2030. Designed by his company TerraPower, the Natrium plant represents an investment in an energy source that Gates views as vital to the transition to clean energy production.
While the risks of severe accidents have virtually halted construction of nuclear plants in the US, the Natrium plant seeks to fix the biggest problems associated with nuclear energy. The plant uses liquid sodium to cool its reactor, which can absorb far more heat from the reactor without increasing in pressure, reducing the risk of an explosion. It also has a unique energy storage system that will make it easier to integrate with power grids, and extensive testing on supercomputers shows that the Natrium plant can withstand a variety of simulated disasters.
Gates anticipates that the construction of the Natrium plant will bring about 1,600 workers to Kemmerer, Wyoming, providing a significant boost to the local economy for a few years, and it will employ 200-250 people. A local coal plant, which is scheduled to be shut down soon, employs 110 local residents. Gates believes that the Natrium plant is the kind of effort that will help America maintain its energy independence and remain a leader in energy innovation worldwide.
(Source: Gatesnotes)